Paucity of funding hampering peace-building: India

United Nations: India has said that lack of
funding is becoming a major impediment to the success and
sustainability of peace-building initiatives across the world.

Speaking at the UN Security Council on `Post-conflict
Peace-building`, Minister of State for External Affairs E
Ahamed said here countries across the world should also work
to enhance human resource, technical and managerial assistance
for better peace-building missions.
"Let us also acknowledge the fact that lack of funding
constitutes a major impediment to the success of peace-building
initiatives.

"Predictable and appropriate level of resources over an
extended period will guarantee sustainability of peace-building
initiatives," Ahamed said.

He said enhancing civilian capacity will also have a major
impact on staffing, resourcing and the peacekeeping missions.

Noting that peace-building is a "cooperative and
coordinated venture", Ahamed said peace-building strategies need
to be harmonised within the UN system.

The international community should also ensure assistance
for capacity building to national authorities.

India has been a top contributor of peacekeeping forces,
with Ahamed noting that this "excellence in peacekeeping" is a
result of India`s long partnership with the UN missions where
its consolidated contributions "outsize the magnitude of the
current peacekeeping operations".
"Our peacekeepers have invariably also been early
peace-builders. India has also shared its experience and
expertise with a range of countries that have embarked onto
the path of transition from conflict to peace," he added.

Ahamed said India will continue to make its capacities
available to societies emerging from post-conflict situations
and will partner UN in its peace-building endeavours.